Spoiler alert: This is about Christmas

Yes, we’re on the cusp of October and it’s too early to be talking about Christmas never mind making plans. But despite the protestations the world over at how preparations get earlier and earlier every year, I can’t help but be compelled to organise where I’ll be and with whom for the festive period. But seriously, it’s only 12 weeks away. And you know as well as I do that once Halloween is out of the way, it’ll be a downhill scramble towards the Santastical season of spending. Yippee.

There’s been talk between myself and himself of going away for Christmas this year. Perhaps we’ll fly off to a city in Europe, where festive markets and mulled drinks are found on every corner. Or we could stay local and enjoy a few days being spoiled somewhere in a nice hotel.

I love Christmas markets, so my leanings are towards the former. I imagine the two of us walking through snow-lined streets, soft, twinkling fairy lights guiding us along wooden cabins filled with steaming drinks and comforting dishes, indulgent smells of chocolate, pine and perfumes, chatting about the mittens, scarves and other knick-knacks for sale, oblivious to the biting cold. When our noses begin to run and our toes freeze up, we could dive into a cafe to defrost our insides with a hot drink. It would be glorious and an adventure.

My reasons for wanting to escape this year are that my sisters are both working over the festive period (they’re nurses) and I hate the thought of sitting around missing them and my nieces and nephew, so a distraction will be most welcome. And it’ll be our first Christmas together, my gentleman friend and I. So I want to make it a special one.

I do love the festive season, as regular readers will no doubt have realised. And having moved around a lot in my life I’ve enjoyed many different types of Christmases; with family, with colleagues and with strangers, in hotels, restaurants and at home, and each one has been a new adventure and experience. I’ve never built up any Christmas traditions for the time of the year, except to immerse myself in the festivities where available and enjoy how it makes myself and the people around me feel. Each of these Christmases has been great fun, and having no traditions is, for me, a good thing; arranging various events and celebrations with different friends and family members is all part of the fun (and a bit of stress).

Another reason for my early preparations is that I’m awful at making decisions and I need plenty of time to do so, after which I’ll second-guess myself numerously and change my mind right up to the last minute. It’s a travesty for humanity, as well as for everyone who knows me. I’ve resigned myself to making a decision for Christmas in the coming weeks that will last right up to the first bite of turkey. This time I’ll be strong, I’ll be determined and I’ll make a decision, and it’ll be the right one.

No matter where I am in the world Christmas will be a constant filled with memories of my mum and sisters and a reminder of life moving at light speed. So I shouldn’t apologise for my Christmas craziness and planning pretensions. I bet at least some of you have been having the same thoughts, and it’ll keep us entertained as the nights get darker, colder and cosier.

Now I just have to decide on which markets to visit. Hmm.

■ Christina Curran is freelance journalist based in Northern Ireland.